Three Peacocks have earned a place on the 2022-23 All-Northern Sun Conference Wrestling Squads. The NSIC announced the all-conference teams on Wednesday and
Zach Ryg has claimed a spot on the First Team as the top heavyweight, while
Tate Murty (141) and
Chase Luensman (165) secured a place on the Second Team. The All-NSIC accolades are the second honor for both Ryg and Luensman; both were named to the 2020-21 All-NSIC First Team.
Ryg, who is currently ranked No. 9, in the NWCA NCAA Division II heavyweight rankings, has a record of 17-5 for the season with four wins by fall and a major decision. The redshirt sophomore from Plymouth, Iowa posted a 5-0 record in NSIC matches with four decisions and a major including three shutouts as well. Ryg combined with fellow Peacock heavyweight
Jordan Baumler to register a perfect 9-0 record at heavyweight for the Upper Iowa in NSIC duals this season.
Murty, who is the No. 5 ranked wrestler in the nation at 141 pounds, is tied for the team lead in wins with 24 to go with just five losses this season. For the year, the Fountain City, Wis. product has scored 11 bonus-point wins including a team-high 10 falls and a tech fall. In eight NSIC matches, Murty is 7-1 with two wins by fall. The lone blemish on his NSIC resume was a loss by decision to No. 4 Cayden Henschel of the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, who earned All-NSIC First Team honors.
Luensman is ranked No. 2 nationally behind Shane Gantz of Parkside, who is the All-NSIC First Team selection at 165 pounds. UIU's senior from Monticello, Iowa has put together a dominant season with a 24-2 record including four wins by fall, three tech falls and six major decisions. Luensman has tallied 82 takedowns and 262 points in his 26 matches for an average of 3.2 takedowns and 10.1 points per bout. In NSIC duals, Luensman is 7-1 with five bonus-point wins thanks to a fall, two tech falls and two majors. Luensman's only two losses this season have come by two points each to Gantz. The pair matched up in the finals of the Midwest Classic and then again in Fayette in a match that went into overtime with Luensman falling just short, 4-2 and 6-4 (SV), respectively.
All three All-NSIC performers, along with seven other Peacocks, are ready to represent No. 9 Upper Iowa on the mats at the NCAA Division II Super Region V Championships this Saturday, Feb. 25 at Northern State University in Aberdeen, S.D.
The full All-NSIC First and Second Team selections are listed below.
| First Team All-Conference |
| Name |
Wt. |
Yr. |
School |
Hometown |
| Shane Corrigan |
125 |
Fr. |
Parkside |
DePere, Wis. |
| Reece Barnhardt |
133 |
So. |
UMary |
Bismarck, N.D. |
| Cayden Henschel |
141 |
So. |
Parkside |
West Bend, Wis. |
| Wyatt Turnquist |
149 |
R-Jr. |
NSU |
Winner S.D. |
| Nick Novak |
157 |
R-Jr. |
SCSU |
New Prague, Minn. |
| Shane Gantz |
165 |
Sr. |
Parkside |
Waukesha, Wis. |
| Max Bruss |
174 |
R-Jr. |
UMary |
De Pere, Wis. |
| Reece Worachek |
184 |
So. |
Parkside |
Luxemburg, Wis. |
| Dominic Murphy |
197 |
R-Jr. |
SCSU |
Evergreen Park, Ill. |
| Zach Ryg |
285 |
So. |
UIU |
Plymouth, Iowa |
| Second Team All-Conference |
| Paxton Creese |
125 |
Jr. |
SCSU |
Shakopee, Minn. |
| Sam Spencer |
133 |
R-So. |
SCSU |
Huntley, Ill. |
| Tate Murty |
141 |
Jr. |
UIU |
Fountain City, Wis. |
| Joey Bianchini |
149 |
R-Sr. |
SCSU |
Elk Grove Village, Ill. |
| Ben Durocher |
157 |
So. |
Parkside |
Wrightstown, Wis. |
| Chase Luensman |
165 |
Jr. |
UIU |
Monticello, Iowa |
| Abner Romero |
174 |
R-Sr. |
SCSU |
Fresno, Calif. |
| Wyatt Lidberg |
184 |
R-So. |
UMary |
Albertville, Minn. |
| Cole Huss |
197 |
R-Jr. |
NSU |
Gretna, Neb. |
| Luke Tweeton |
285 |
R-Fr. |
UMary |
Detroit Lakes, Minn. |
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